The Reason for the Fight (3)
The atmosphere inside the restaurant turned icy cold.
Chu Seong's face was twisted in utter horror.
Even Namgung Hyeon's expression, as he sat at the far end sipping tea, had hardened completely.
Yeon Jipyeong swallowed hard.
"B-Brother."
"What? Not hungry?"
"...That's not it."
"If you're not eating, I'll take it all. Training since dawn has my stomach practically glued to my backbone."
Boom!
The ground shook. Every eye in the place, except Yeon Hojeong's, turned to Chu Seong.
"What did you just say?"
Yeon Hojeong glanced at him sidelong. His gaze was utterly indifferent, as if he weren't looking at a person but some passing beast or unremarkable scenery.
Yeon Hojeong resumed chewing his meat, ignoring him completely.
Chu Seong's face flushed beet red.
"I asked what you said!!"
"Noisy."
Yeon Hojeong scratched his ear.
"Beasts really can't understand human speech, huh."
It was like pouring oil on a roaring fire.
"You little punk dare—!"
That was when it happened.
"Enough."
Namgung Hyeon approached from where he'd been sitting at a distance.
Chu Seong didn't even look at him. Rage boiled up to the top of his head. He looked ready to draw his sword any second, his hand clenching and unclenching repeatedly.
Namgung Hyeon put force into his voice.
"Chu, stand down!"
"......"
"Step back."
Grinding his teeth, Chu Seong turned away with a motion so violent it made his robes flap loudly.
Namgung Hyeon, sighing inwardly with relief, spoke in a voice cold as frost.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.
"You talking to me?"
"Who else would I be talking to?"
"What did I even do to earn that?"
"Do you think our house will let your insult to another family's escort captain slide?"
Yeon Hojeong snorted.
"When did I insult your escort captain?"
"What?"
"I never said anyone's name, far as I know."
"How petty. Don't play word games. Anyone who saw this situation would know..."
"Good point."
Yeon Hojeong's face turned serious.
"If you saw the whole thing, why didn't you step in sooner? You watched me yesterday too—why sit there sipping tea like it was nothing?"
"W-What did you say?"
"If you've got business with me, come say it yourself. Don't just watch from the sidelines while pushing your old escort captain forward."
"What nonsense is that?!"
"I'm saying don't be petty. A second young master of the Namgung family—what's he lacking that he can't even ask me to step outside? Scared of me or something?"
"What a ridiculous delusion. To think you'd interpret it that way..."
Yeon Hojeong waved him off, cutting him short. He'd just say the same predictable crap anyway.
If it was obvious they'd say something to get under his skin, better to just spit out his piece and feel refreshed.
"I know you don't like me. Fine. Then act like a martial artist—challenge me to a duel fair and square, or buy me a drink. If you're scheming, at least do it without making it obvious."
"This is getting absurd. Why would I ever..."
"Wasn't it? Especially after what happened with your sister."
Namgung Hyeon's expression changed in an instant.
Bringing up Namgung Sanghwa in front of everyone? That was dangerous.
As Namgung Hyeon opened his mouth to cut him off, Yeon Hojeong's words came pouring out.
"Twisted personality might be innate, but if you've learned the ways of your prestigious house, you shouldn't cross lines. Seeing you and your sister makes the Namgung name feel wasted."
Namgung Hyeon's face grew savage.
"Are you insulting our house right now?"
"You wanna avoid the 'beast' label too? Listen properly. Saying the Namgung name feels wasted means you and your sister don't act worthy of the Namgung house. That not clear enough?"
"You...!"
"And."
A subtle light flickered in Yeon Hojeong's eyes.
Namgung Hyeon's body twitched involuntarily. For a split second, it felt like lightning had flashed through his eyes and pierced straight out the back of his skull.
"Right here, right now, you're using yesterday's settled incident as an excuse to insult me and my brother—and by extension, our house. Got any reason I shouldn't insult you back?"
"I-Insult?!"
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
"Wasn't it? Then you're saying you didn't order your escort captain to do this?"
"Of course not!"
"In that case, you won't have a word to say if I discipline your rogue escort captain right here for insulting our house."
It was absurd. Yet Yeon Hojeong made the absurdity sound perfectly logical.
"If you didn't order it, then your escort captain acted on his own to insult another house. As the eldest son of the insulted house, isn't it my duty to settle this grudge?"
"Absurd! Chu, our captain, was merely exercising his authority for the sake of the gathering—he wasn't insulting anyone...!"
"I told you not to be petty. Hope you aren't either. Everyone in this restaurant saw your precious captain's high-handed attitude."
Namgung Hyeon glanced around despite himself. The young men and women scattered about were all watching. Some looked uneasy, others intrigued.
The key point: they were all members of the Seven Great Families.
Namgung Hyeon ground his teeth.
'Damn it all!'
He'd only wanted to reinvigorate the banquet's second-day mood.
He'd sent Chu Seong to pressure Yeon Hojeong himself.
But he hadn't planned to actually drive the Yeon brothers out. The Yeon family was one of the Seven Great Families, small as it was.
He'd intended to step in at the right moment, resolve it publicly, boost his own prestige, deflate their momentum, and lull Yeon Hojeong into complacency.
Then, at the crucial juncture, he'd humiliate them and proclaim Namgung supremacy.
But what was this? The audience that should have favored him was now bolstering Yeon Hojeong instead.
"If you hate that idea so much, discipline your escort captain yourself instead."
"W-What?!"
"Authority or not, he crossed a line. As the second young master, shouldn't you give him a stern lesson?"
"......!!"
"Your choice."
Namgung Hyeon was innately a man of cool reason. But he'd never faced such brazen nonsense before.
In truth, this was so trivial it barely qualified as an incident.
Yet his opponent had loaded it down with the weight of family honor.
No matter how sharp Namgung Hyeon was, he couldn't help but falter.
That was when it happened.
"I'll take responsibility. That settles it."
Namgung Hyeon turned to Chu Seong. His eyes burned like flames.
"This all started because of me anyway. I can handle it myself. No need for you to trouble yourself, young master."
The blood drained from Namgung Hyeon's face.
'Damn fool!'
It was the worst possible move. Chu Seong shouldn't have stepped up like that.
He should have denied any bewitchment, claimed innocence.
But taking responsibility? That was as good as admitting he'd insulted the Yeon family.
Yeon Hojeong grinned, baring his teeth in a dazzlingly white, genuinely pleased smile.
"Unlike your master, at least you know responsibility. I like that much."
Hummm.
Chu Seong stepped forward. No overt inner energy, but an ominous aura spread from him.
"So, how exactly do you plan to hold me accountable?"
"Martial artists settle conflicts in one way, don't they?"
"A duel, then?"
"Cleanest solution, right?"
To Chu Seong, the situation was utterly ridiculous. Even as the eldest son of one of the Seven Great Families, he was just a youth not yet twenty.
Chu Seong himself was a first-rate among first-rates, with over fifteen years surviving the rivers and lakes of the world.
A duel with him? He couldn't fathom the kid's confidence.
Too absurd, perhaps? Chu Seong spoke in a mocking tone.
"Fine. Since you've fought the Namgung third young master, you must have some skill in fisticuffs. Why not give this Chu Seong a proper lesson right here in front of everyone?"
It was mockery, but also a chance to proclaim Namgung greatness.
Chu Seong desperately wanted to crush Yeon Hojeong thoroughly before all these later-generation disciples.
And Yeon Hojeong? 'Jackpot.'
He broke into a broad grin without realizing it. He'd wanted to escalate anyway—now they were handing him the perfect excuse. He nearly forgot the earlier annoyance.
"Think so? Yeah, that sounds best."
The one who should have shrunk back seemed thrilled. For a moment, Chu Seong wondered if there was some scheme at play. No matter how he thought about it, Yeon Hojeong's odds of beating him were less than ten percent.
Yeon Hojeong shot to his feet.
"There's friendly sparring, after all. Hold you accountable, then show off our skills as later-generation disciples—sounds meaningful enough."
Chu Seong let out an involuntary scoff.
"Do as you like."
"Great. Perfect."
Yeon Hojeong's eyes gleamed ferociously.
At that moment, they weren't on Chu Seong—they were fixed on Myeong Horim.
"Let's have some fun."
* * *
"W-What?!"
Jegal A-yeon gaped.
"Chu Seong? That Thunderclap Chu Seong, the one who just became the Namgung escort captain?!"
"...Yes."
Jegal A-yeon clutched her forehead without thinking.
"Damn it all! Why pick a fight with him?!"
Thunderclap Chu Seong. A mid-tier master renowned across Henan and Anhui.
Known for his fiery temper and brutal swordsmanship, he'd single-handedly wiped out thirty percent of the bandits plaguing the region over fifteen years.
Most of those bandits were trained in martial arts—many black path riffraff, but plenty in bands of a hundred strong.
In short, not someone a later-generation disciple could handle.
Later-generation disciples were just the standouts among their peers. Even geniuses of the century couldn't match a true veteran of countless battles without grave risk.
The Namgung family hadn't made him captain for nothing.
"We have to stop it! No matter how great Hojeong's skills, this is too much!"
"That's..."
Yeon Jipyeong sighed.
"They're already preparing in the outer training grounds. Starts in about fifteen minutes."
"Gasp!"
Jegal A-yeon choked.
"Still no! Chu Seong's as ruthless as his skills—he doesn't care who's watching!"
"No choice. Backing down now would tarnish Brother's honor before our own house."
Jegal A-yeon was floored.
"But Jipyeong, why are you so calm? You okay with this? Reached enlightenment or something?"
Yeon Jipyeong sighed again.
"Of course not. I'm worried too. I tried stopping him several times. But..."
"But?"
"I'm worried because I trust Brother."
"...!"
"Everything I've seen of him—overly aggressive to others' eyes—he's always handled what he starts. As blood kin, I worry, but I believe he has a plan."
Jegal A-yeon's eyes wavered.
Trust his brother? Even if you trust family, wasn't this too far?
What an odd pair of siblings. Worried, but trusts him? Not ordinary thinking.
'Brothers gonna brother.'
But Yeon Jipyeong's gaze didn't waver. No anxiety. He clearly trusted his brother's judgment and skill.
"You two are a real puzzle."
"Pardon?"
"Never mind! To the training grounds, quick! Jun! Get out here!"